Drifting Ribbons
by TeeLee123
Summary: The story is told through Eighteen's eyes as she and her brother travel the world as runaways. Their adventurous life takes a drastic turn when they commit accidental murder and are sought after by the Red Ribbon Army. -[ PAUSE]-


**~Drifting Ribbons ~**

**Chapter 1:**  
**"Highway to Hell"**

"What are you doing?" I finally asked, having had enough of listening to Abe rummage through the closet.

Abe tossed a heavy blue backpack on my bed.

" I'm running away and you're coming with me," Abe stated, with a small smile glinting in his eyes. He turned around and took out his favorite green socks from the within the dresser's top drawer. I shoved the backpack off my bed. It hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Running away, huh?" I yawned, pulling my blanket close to my chin." Good luck with that."

"I'm serious, Hana." Abe growled, unzipping the small outer pocket of his backpack." I have money this time. See?"

My eyes widened and I quickly sat up." Where did you get that?" Abe smirked and stuffed the cash back into his backpack. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him.

"Chill out. I didn't steal this from your stash under the mattress. I actually earned this the good old fashion way- I got a job."

"You never told me you had a job," I grumbled, upset that my older brother ( by two minutes) had kept a secret from me. He also had more money saved up then I did from our allowance. It didn't seem fair.

"Come on. You didn't really think I was studying at the library every weekend, did you?"

I fell back into my pillow and rolled over on my side. Mom and Dad were happy that Abe was finally studying. I didn't like the thought of my twin turning into a nerd, but if it made our parents happy, I thought I might as well be happy too. Now I'm just pissed that he was sneaking around working some stupid job just to make more money than me. It'd be forgivable if he wanted to buy a car with his money, like I did, not run away with it!

Abe sat down on the bed with a loud sigh.

"Don't be like that. I just wanted to surprise you."

"It worked. I'm surprised." I said, turning over to stare at his back. He glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes meeting mine. Same eyes, same face, same laugh. . . we'd be the same person if I was born as a dumb male, and didn't bleach my hair." You're a fool, Abe. We wouldn't last two days out there on our own without Mom or Dad's help."

Abe looked thoughtfully at the wall, hopefully mulling over my wise words. Most likely he's just singing a song in his head.

". . .Hey momma look at me, I'm on my way to the promised land," A vein twitched in my forehead as I involuntarily sang the words to the beat his fingers tapped to." I'm on the highway to hell. Highway to hell. . .Dammit Abe!" I shoved him off the bed. He landed on the backpack." Can't you take anything seriously? Have you even thought about how much this would hurt Mom and Dad's feelings if we just left?"

"We'll write to them." Abe answered." It's not like we'll never speak or see them again."

"What about Ben?" I roared, pushing back my bangs. It was disturbing how much Abe had thought about this. If I didn't talk him out of this soon, he may actually run away! " Ben needs us to watch over him when we get out of school. He loves us."

"Bento is a baby, Hana!" Abe yelled, getting to his feet. "Mom and Dad can have Aunt Mai watch over him, or pay a babysitter to do it! I don't care. I'm leaving." Abe unlocked the window and slid it open. He put his right foot on the window sill, closed his eyes, and breathed in the night air.

Why do you want to leave? Our parents are good to us. We get three meals a day. We have a little brother to look after. We have good friends at school! Why would you want to throw your life away and turn your back on everyone who loves you? I couldn't understand why my brother wanted to leave, and it scared me because I didn't want to leave home with him.

Abe opened his eyes and stared out the window." Have you ever watched the sun set over those hills, and felt the urge to follow it and never look back?"

"No." I snorted.

Abe didn't laugh. He was being completely serious. He looked at me. " Well I have, and that feeling is getting stronger everyday. There's another side of the world that we haven't seen yet, and I want to see it! I don't want to be stuck in this town my whole life- -"

"Then wait three more years, when we're eighteen." I cut in."We can apply to an out of town college together."

Abe tilted his head back and laughed." Are you serious? You really think I could get into college with my grades?" I opened my mouth to tell him that if he tried he could, but he kept talking." No thanks. College isn't for me." Abe held out his hand." I'm leaving now. Will you come with me?"

I didn't say anything. I simply stared at his hand, unable to move.

"Goodbye, Hana. I'll send you a post card." Abe said, gruffly, and disappeared out the window.

The wind blew the white curtains in and out of the house, as if the house itself were breathing. I glanced at Abe's neatly made bed and realised I'd never see him sleeping in it again. He would never walk to school with me. I'd never hear him laugh again. He'll never flirt with my friends again. He'll never tease me about flirting with hot guys at school.

What would he do without me? Would Abe be alright? Will he find someone else to tell him when he's being stupid?

Groaning, I tossed my blankets aside and quickly changed out of my pajamas. Most of my clothes were already packed except for one outfit, my favorite pair of waist-high jeans and black shirt. Feeling adventurous, I took the time to apply my red lipstick and curl my bangs with a curling iron, finishing it off with the last bit of hairspray I owned. There wasn't enough room in the backpack for my curling iron, but I did manage to stuff a framed photo of us with our parents and baby brother into the bag.

I lifted the mattress and pocketed my money. I wasn't sure how long Abe's "runaway attitude" would last, so I wrote a short note for our parents and taped it on the window:

_Dear Mom & Dad,_

_We love you guys! Take good care of Ben while we're gone. We'll be back soon!_

_- Love Hana and Abe._

I carefully scooted down the slanted roof, rolling over onto my chest at the last minute while the rest of my body dangled from the roof. I held in my breath as I slid all the way off the roof, so only my fingers were still hanging on. My feet made little circles in the air as I tried to remember how far away the ground was.

Someone's arms tightly wrapped around my legs." It's okay. Let go."

I shook my head, and thought about pulling myself back up, until I was roughly yanked down.

Abe groaned." Holy cow you're fat!"

"Shut up! I'm not fat, you're just weak!" I growled, rolling off of him and crushing the rest of Mom's flowerbed. Unlike my brother, I normally use the door when I leave and enter the house. Abe can easily jump off the roof and avoid landing in the flower bed, but I haven't mastered that skill yet. I dusted myself off and looked down at my brother." Need a hand?"

"I think you broke my rib," Abe wheezed, then laughed when I kicked him in the ribs.

"Whatever. Let's just go." I mumbled, picking up my bag and leading the way to nowhere.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Abe asked.

"No."

"You're going in the right direction." Abe draped his arm over my shoulders, and flexed, giving my neck an affectionate squeeze." Twin telepathy has done it again!"

"Whatever." I said, pushing him away from me."Since we're on the subject. . . where are we going?"

Abe shrugged." I was thinking we could do what all runaways do and join the circus." He grinned and walked ahead." Can you guess what song I'm singing, Hana?"

I rolled my eyes. As we walked through the night, guided by the quickly setting moon and pink rays of the rising sun, we loudly sang, " I'm on the highway to hell, highway to hell. I'm on the highway. . ."

We did the occasional head banging and chest bumping as we walked, lost in our own fantasy world

* * *

_"Highway to Hell," song by ACDC. They're okay. _


End file.
